Papua New Guinea Landslide Relief

A massive landslide hit Papua New Guinea, on May 24 this year. Six villages in the remote, mountainous Enga Province were destroyed with up to 2,000 people still unaccounted for. IsraAID provided immediate, urgent relief to crisis-affected communities in close partnership with local authorities, national government, and UN agencies.

Psychosocial Support (PSS) for Crisis-Affected Communities

Large-scale loss caused shock, grief, and anxiety for affected communities. Gender-Based Violence (GBV) has already escalated rapidly in Enga this year, and children are susceptible to exploitation and abuse in the aftermath of the disaster.

IsraAID trained more than 100 first responders, service providers, and community volunteers who are directly supporting affected communities. Our mental health experts ran a series of two-day training sessions on Psychological First Aid, PSS, and self-care. We equipped trainees to work with people experiencing humanitarian crisis, including preventing GBV, identifying child protection concerns, and supporting communities to process their emotions and experiences healthily. Due to the country's limited referral pathways, program participants may be the only PSS support available to communities in the region. They are now equipped with vital skills and knowledge that they will retain, enabling them to serve many more vulnerable communities over time.

Clean Water for Crisis-Affected Communities

The Mulitaka Health Center, situated two kilometers east of the landslide site, serves as the hub for relief efforts, including aid distribution, medical care, and overall coordination for the landslide response. Prior to the disaster, it had been closed for a number of years. IsraAID upgraded the Center's makeshift water system to meet the growing demand for clean water.

The upgraded system now provides safe, running water to more than 20,000 people. IsraAID’s WASH experts developed the blueprints, offered technical guidance, and supported the procurement of materials for the upgrade. We partnered with the Provincial Health Administration (PHA) and local engineers who oversaw construction, and we trained them to maintain it. The system, now operated autonomously by the PHA, is designed to meet immediate and rising needs at the site while providing a reliable, locally owned solution that will support the community for as long as they need it.

Next Steps

IsraAID’s interventions in Enga prioritized urgent needs while equipping the community to cope with future challenges. We will continue to provide remote support in the coming weeks as we phase out our response, confident that our capacity-building efforts have laid the groundwork for the community to thrive independently in the long-term.

Thank you for your support!

thank you for your support

IsraAID’s interventions in Enga prioritized urgent needs while equipping the community to cope with future challenges. We will continue to provide remote support in the coming weeks as we phase out our response, confident that our capacity-building efforts have laid the groundwork for the community to thrive independently in the long-term.